For new applicants
Neither the Workers in Canada stream nor the Applicants not working in Canada stream is accepting applications. IRCC says intake did not reopen in March 2026.
Canada Caregiver Pilot Program 2026: Status, Eligibility & Processing Times
Canada's federal caregiver PR pilots — Home Child Care Provider, Home Support Worker, Live-in Caregiver, and Home Care Worker — are all closed to new applicants in 2026.
All pilots closed
N/A — closed
Permanent (for approved)
Canada's caregiver pilot intake remains closed
IRCC paused the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots to focus on applications already in its inventory. The pause is in effect until further notice, and no future intake date has been announced.
For existing applicants
IRCC continues to process applications already received. Processing varies by application and inventory, so use IRCC's live checker instead of relying on a fixed estimate.
The eligibility checker reviews currently open immigration pathways; it does not assess eligibility for a closed caregiver pilot.
Canada Caregiver Immigration Pilot is an umbrella term covering a series of federal pilot programs that let qualified home child care providers and home support workers become permanent residents. The two longest-running pilots — Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot — ran for 5 years and ended on June 17, 2024. The successor Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots that launched in 2025 are also currently closed, and earlier pilots such as the Live-in Caregiver Program, Caring for Children Pilot, and Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot closed years earlier.
As of 2026, IRCC has no open federal caregiver-specific permanent residence pathway. Applications received before each program's respective closing date continue to be processed under the original rules. Caregivers and home support workers currently in Canada or considering the field should review the Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Programs with caregiver streams, and Rural Community Immigration Pilot as the open alternatives in 2026. This hub documents each historical pilot for applicants with in-flight files and researchers mapping Canada's caregiver immigration policy.
FAQ
Canada Caregiver Pilot Program 2026 FAQs
Eligibility, processing times, reopening and alternatives
No. IRCC lists both Home Care Worker Immigration Pilot streams as closed. Intake did not reopen in March 2026, and IRCC is focusing on applications it already received.
No new applicants can qualify while intake is closed. People who applied before the relevant deadline are assessed under the rules for their original stream. Historical requirements varied by pilot and included factors such as an eligible caregiver occupation, qualifying work experience, language results, education, and—in some streams—a valid job offer.
IRCC does not promise one fixed processing time for every caregiver-pilot file. Timing depends on the program, application completeness, existing inventory, and whether IRCC requests more documents. Existing applicants should use the official IRCC processing-time checker and their application account for the latest available status.
IRCC says intake is paused until further notice and has not announced a reopening date. Any future intake update should be confirmed on the official IRCC caregiver pages before preparing an application.
Depending on your work experience, occupation, location, and job offer, review the Canadian Experience Class, Provincial Nominee Programs, Rural Community Immigration Pilot, and Atlantic Immigration Program. These are separate pathways with their own requirements; caregiver experience alone does not guarantee eligibility.
Choose a next resource
What describes you now?
No federal caregiver-specific PR pilot accepts new applications in 2026. The options below are general information to help you choose a relevant guide; they do not determine whether you are eligible.
I already submitted a caregiver-pilot application
IRCC is processing applications it received before the relevant pilot closed. This does not mean the pilots are accepting new applications.
Check the official IRCC Home Care Worker pilots status and review the IRCC intake-pause notice.
I have Canadian care-sector work experience
Review the Canadian Experience Class requirements if your Canadian work experience is in an eligible skilled occupation. This is general information, not an eligibility decision.
Review the Canadian Experience Class guideI have a connection to a province or provincial employer
Review Provincial Nominee Program options, which vary by province and stream. This is general information, not an eligibility decision.
Review the Provincial Nominee Program guideI have an offer from a designated rural employer
Review the Rural Community Immigration Pilot if the employer and community meet the program's current requirements. This is general information, not an eligibility decision.
Review the Rural Community Immigration Pilot guideI have an offer from a designated Atlantic employer
Review the Atlantic Immigration Program if the employer and job offer meet the program's current requirements. This is general information, not an eligibility decision.
Review the Atlantic Immigration Program guide
Status explainer
Caregiver pilot status in under a minute
This short explainer repeats the current status and points you to the same next-step resources above. It is optional: the full text and sources are available in the transcript below.
Read video transcript
In 2026, no federal caregiver-specific PR pilot accepts new applications. IRCC lists the Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots as closed while it processes existing applications, and its December 2025 notice says intake did not re-open in March 2026. If you already applied before the relevant closing date, IRCC continues to process your application. If you are exploring a new route, use the next-step guide to review general information about other pathways; it is not an eligibility decision.
Read the official IRCC Home Care Worker pilot status or the IRCC intake-pause notice.
Eligibility
Who can apply for Canada Caregiver Immigration Pilot?
- Applicants who worked full-time in Canada as a Home Child Care Provider (NOC 44100) or Home Support Worker (NOC 44101) under one of the closed pilots
- Caregivers who entered under the Gaining Experience category to accumulate qualifying Canadian work experience and later submit proof for PR consideration
- Caregivers who applied under the Direct to Permanent Residence category with sufficient full-time Canadian caregiving work experience at the time of application
- Former Live-in Caregiver Program participants who received their work permit based on an LMIA submitted before December 2014
- Applicants from the earlier Caring for Children, Caring for People with High Medical Needs, or Interim Pathway for Caregivers programs whose applications were submitted before their respective closing dates
- Accompanying spouses, common-law partners, and dependent children of qualifying caregiver applicants
These categories describe who could have applied historically under each pilot. No new applications are currently being accepted under any federal caregiver-specific program.
Detailed Guides
Explore by type.
Find your perfect pathway.
Program Closed
Home Child Care Provider Pilot
Closed 5-year federal pilot for caregivers who worked as Home Child Care Providers (NOC 44100) in Canadian homes.
View historical guide
Program Closed
Home Support Worker Pilot
Closed 5-year federal pilot for caregivers who worked as Home Support Workers (NOC 44101) in Canadian homes.
View historical guide
Requirements
What are the requirements and key details of Canada Caregiver Immigration Pilot?
- Current Status: All federal caregiver pilots are closed to new applications as of 2026. IRCC continues to process applications received before each program's closing date.
- Home Child Care Provider Pilot: 5-year pilot; closed June 17, 2024; NOC 44100
- Home Support Worker Pilot: 5-year pilot; closed June 17, 2024; NOC 44101
- Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (2025 successor): Launched 2025; currently closed to new applicants on both PR pathway and employer-hiring pathway
- Live-in Caregiver Program: Closed since 2014; only applicants with pre-December 2014 LMIA-based work permits still eligible for PR
- Caring for Children Pilot: Closed June 17, 2019
- Caring for People with High Medical Needs Pilot: Closed June 17, 2019
- Interim Pathway for Caregivers: Closed October 8, 2019
- Eligible NOC Codes (historical): NOC 44100 (Home Child Care Provider), NOC 44101 (Home Support Worker / Caregiver)
- Application Categories (HCCP/HSWP): Gaining Experience category (accumulate 12 months Canadian caregiving work) and Direct to Permanent Residence category (already had qualifying experience)
- Qualifying Work Experience (historical): At least 12 months of full-time Canadian work experience as a Home Child Care Provider or Home Support Worker within the eligible pilot window
- Language Requirement (historical): CLB 5 or NCLC 5 in all four abilities (reading, writing, listening, speaking)
- Education Requirement (historical): Canadian post-secondary credential of at least 1 year, OR foreign equivalent with ECA
- Job Offer Requirement (historical, Home Care Worker Immigration pilots): Full-time job offer in home care required under the 2025 successor pilots
- Federal Government Fee (historical): CAD 950 processing + CAD 575 RPRF per adult; CAD 260 per dependent child (rates in effect before closure)
- Biometrics Fee (historical): CAD 85 individual; CAD 170 family
- Leads to PR: Yes (pilots were direct or staged PR pathways for qualifying caregivers)
- Leads to Citizenship: Yes (3 years of physical presence in 5 years after PR)
- Spouse Open Work Permit: Yes, available to qualifying caregivers under the closed pilots during processing
- Official Source URL: https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/caregivers.html
Documents
What are the documents required for Canada Caregiver Immigration Pilot?
- Valid passport and travel documents for the principal applicant and all accompanying family members
- Full-time job offer letter from a Canadian employer in a qualifying caregiver occupation (NOC 44100 Home Child Care Provider, NOC 44101 Home Support Worker, or earlier equivalent), outside Quebec, for the pilot under which the application was submitted
- Employer reference letters confirming the role, duties performed in a private home, hours worked, and dates of employment
- T4 slips, pay stubs, and Notice of Assessment covering the 12 months (HCCP/HSWP/Home Care Worker pilots) or 24 months (LCP, Caring for Children, Caring for People with High Medical Needs) of qualifying full-time Canadian work experience
- Work permit and any subsequent extensions covering the qualifying experience period (Gaining Experience category required maintained status throughout)
- Original LMIA-based work permit submitted before December 2014 (Live-in Caregiver Program applicants only)
- Language test results (IELTS General Training, CELPIP General, PTE Core, TEF Canada, or TCF Canada) demonstrating CLB 5 / NCLC 5 in all four abilities, less than 2 years old at the time of original application
- Canadian post-secondary credential of at least 1 year, OR foreign educational credential with an ECA report from a designated organization (less than 5 years old)
- Proof of legal status in Canada throughout the qualifying work experience period (Gaining Experience and current in-Canada applicants)
- Medical examination results from an IRCC-approved panel physician
- Police clearance certificates from every country where the applicant lived for 6+ months since age 18
- Biometrics (fingerprints and photograph) collected at a designated visa application centre
- Proof of relationship for accompanying spouse, common-law partner, or dependent children (marriage certificate, long-form birth certificates, custody documents)
- Receipts for federal application fees (CAD 950 processing + CAD 575 RPRF per adult, CAD 260 per dependent child) and biometrics fees (CAD 85 individual / CAD 170 family) at the rates in effect when the application was submitted
Application Process
History of Canada's Caregiver Immigration Pilots
01
Live-in Caregiver Program (pre-2014)
For decades, the Live-in Caregiver Program let foreign caregivers work in Canadian homes and apply for PR after 24 months or 3,900 hours of full-time work. The program closed to new applicants in November 2014. Only caregivers with LMIA-based work permits submitted before December 2014 can still apply for PR under this pathway.
02
Caring for Children and High Medical Needs Pilots (2014-2019)
IRCC launched two 5-year pilots in 2014 to replace the Live-in Caregiver Program: Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs. Both pilots required Canadian post-secondary education, CLB 5 language, and 24 months of full-time Canadian caregiving work experience before submitting PR applications. Both pilots closed to new applicants on June 17, 2019.
03
Interim Pathway for Caregivers (2019)
A short-lived 2019 pathway reopened for caregivers who came to Canada under ineligible work permits. Open for approximately 3 months, it closed on October 8, 2019 and no longer accepts applications.
04
Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot (2019-2024)
These two 5-year pilots launched in 2019 with two application categories: a Gaining Experience category for caregivers who needed to accumulate 12 months of qualifying Canadian work experience, and a Direct to Permanent Residence category for those who already had it. Both pilots closed to new applicants on June 17, 2024. In-flight applications continue to be processed.
05
Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots (2025, launched then closed)
IRCC launched two successor pilots in 2025: one for home child care providers and one for home support workers. Both required a full-time home care job offer and Canadian work experience. The pilots closed to new applicants shortly after launch due to demand; IRCC indicated further updates would follow. Employer hiring under these pilots is also currently closed.
06
In-Flight Application Processing (2026)
IRCC continues to process applications submitted before each program's closing date. Applicants should sign in to their Permanent Residence Portal account, keep contact information current, and respond promptly to IRCC requests for additional documents, biometrics, or medical examinations.
07
Plan Around Open Pathways (2026)
With no open federal caregiver-specific PR pathway in 2026, caregivers in Canada should look at the Canadian Experience Class under Express Entry (1 year of TEER 0-3 Canadian experience), PNP caregiver streams (several provinces still run health and home-care streams), and the Rural Community Immigration Pilot for designated rural employers who hire in caregiving occupations.
Canada's caregiver immigration policy has gone through multiple pilot cycles over the past decade. Each pilot addressed gaps in the previous program — from the Live-in Caregiver rule that required cohabitation with the employer, to the HCCP/HSWP pilots that separated work permit from PR application, to the 2025 Home Care Worker Immigration Pilots that introduced direct PR with occupation-linked caps. All are currently closed to new applicants.
If you are a caregiver with an in-flight application under any of these programs, IRCC will continue processing under the original rules. If you are exploring caregiver immigration in 2026, monitor canada.ca/caregivers for any announcement of new pilot intake and review the Canadian Experience Class and provincial nominee streams as current open pathways.
For detailed insights on eligibility, document checklist, visa validity, and common refusal reasons, explore PR Visa FAQs guide to know the answers of all your questions.
Last updated September 19, 2026
Official IRCC sources used for this caregiver immigration pilot guide
Updated for current IRCC caregiver immigration pilot guide guidance
Source-backed by Canada.ca and IRCC fee pages
Immigration rules and processing times change often. Use these official pages as the final authority before paying fees or submitting documents.
Editorial reviewer
Settle in Canada Editorial Team
Immigration content review
Reviews caregiver immigration guidance against current Canada.ca and IRCC sources before publication.
Related Resources
Explore more about Canada Caregiver Immigration Pilot
Looking for a currently open PR pathway for caregivers?
Check your profile against currently open pathways, or talk to our counselors about the next requirements to verify.